“The commander-in-chief’s award is the highest award a military installation can receive,” Kendall said. “[But] it’s clearly about people more than it is about installations. Today we honor the best of the best from each of the military services and from the Defense Logistics Agency.”

“These [awards], are, I think, suitably called the commander-in-chief’s awards,” he continued,” because installations are so important to what we do and the success of the entire military and Department of Defense.”

Kendall provided some background on the Defense Department’s installation infrastructure throughout the world, noting it’s three times the size of Wal-Mart.

“Installations are the military infrastructure’s backbone,” he said. “The [Defense] Department’s 500-plus installations include more than 555,000 buildings and facilities with an estimated replacement value of nearly a trillion dollars.”

“These installations occupy more than 28 million acres of land in the United States and overseas,” Kendall added. “And now more than ever these installations provide direct operational support to our forces deployed in overseas operations.”

Kendall noted the accomplishments President Barack Obama talked about during his recent visit to Afghanistan are a direct result of “the fine work people do on installations throughout the country and overseas.”

Dr. Dorothy Robyn, deputy undersecretary of defense for installations and environment, who also attended the ceremony and introduced Kendall, praised the five installation winners.

“Today, we will celebrate five installations that have excelled at both accomplishing their military missions and improving the quality of life for men and women who serve our nation,” she said. “To this year’s winners I offer my most sincere congratulations.”